Anthony Ruggiano
Anthony "Fat Andy" Ruggiano Sr (1927-March 1999) was a new york mobster and a capo in the Gambino crime family. He was orginally from Ozone Park, Queens before operating a Loansharking operation in South Florida, in 1985 he went on the run with a Hells Angel gang to avoid prosecution. Biography Anthony Ruggiano Sr was born in 1927 in the neighbourhood of Ozone Park, Queens in New York City. not much is known about his early life, he joined the gambino crime family in the 1950's when Albert Anastasia was boss. In his early 20's Ruggiano got married, his wife was called Jennifer Ruggiano and they had a son called Anthony Ruggiano Jr who later became a soldier in his father's crew. In the 1960's Ruggiano opened a restaurant called Cafe Liberty in Ozone Park Queens, it was a small and successful business that became a gambino crime family hangout. Caporegime In the 1970's Ruggiano became a caporegime under boss Paul Castellano, he was placed in charge of crew that ran loansharking and racketeering operations in South Florida. members of this crew included soldiers Anthony Guerrieri, Salvatore Reale, Anthony Ruggiano Jr, and future Gambino crime family capo Anthony Trentacosta. He was one of the many Castellano Era Caporegimes who made the trip to the Castellano Mansion in Todt Hill, Staten Island once a week to deliver the bosses cut personally. during his career as a Capo he followed la cosa nostra rules to the letter, he hated Rats, was a good earner, loyal and refused to testify before grand juries. personality wise he was a family man, wise, flamboyant, gregarious and loyal to his friends. Ruggiano operated quietly in Florida throughout the 1980's until late 1985 when Paul Castellano was murdered and John Gotti became boss. Shortly after this change in leadership the Riviera Beach sheriff's department started investigating his racketeering activities and Ruggiano became a fugitive, he blended in with the South Florida chapter of the Hells Angels biker gang by growing a beard to avoid law enforcement attention. he was part of the biker gang for two years until he was arrested by the police for racketeering. The following year Ruggiano was extradited to New York City to stand trial he was found guilty of racketeering and sentenced to 13 years imprisonment. In June 1988, while Ruggiano was in jail his brother in law Frank Boccia pushed Ruggiano's wife Jennifer, down a flight of stairs in an argument because Jennifer refused to pay for his daughter's $500 baptism. Gambino Soldier Dominick Pizzonia who helped run cafe liberty for Ruggiano visited him in prison and told him this news, Ruggiano was furious and ordered Boccia's death. the leadership of the gambino crime family gave permission for the murder and Boccia was lured to Cafe Liberty in Ozone Park, Queens on the ruse of an upcoming planned heist by Anthony Ruggiano Jr. when Boccia walked into the backroom Dominick Pizzonia shot Boccia in the head repeatedly. Pizzonia paused midway to reload, said "this guy don't want to fucking die", and then shot him a few more times. They gutted Boccia's like a fish so that his body would not float, and threw the body into the waters off Merrick, New York. Death Anthony Ruggiano was released from prison after serving 13 years for racketeering, he returned to his family in Ozone Park and died in march 1999 of a heart attack. he was a loyal gambino capo to the end, his crew was taken over by Anthony Trentacosta. His son Anthony Ruggiano Jr later became an informant in 2006. Category:Gambino Crime Family Category:Gambino Capos Category:Florida